Breitling Launches Life Saving Emergency Watch Available in U.S.

June 26, 2015

To mark the occasion, Breitling chose the iconic Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Complex in New York City to announce the timepiece's availability in the U.S.

The watch, which recently gained FCC approval for sale in the U.S., features a PLB operating at 121.5 MHz and 406 MHz, thus meeting Cospas-Sarsat standards. The innovative dual frequency micro-transmitter is able to send a distress beacon to rescuers on land, ships at sea and airborne aircraft through the 121.5 MHz frequency and satellite transmissions through the 406 MHz frequency.

Developed specifically for the Emergency, the micro-transmitter had to be specially designed for such a compact application. Consequently, the Emergency's transmitter holds records for both miniaturization and reliability.

Despite its complex nature, Breitling designed the Emergency to be especially simple to use. The ingenious dual antenna design, which is housed in the lower part of the watch, deploys when the cap attached to the main antenna on the right-hand side is unscrewed. Once the user extends it to the correct length, a second cap on the opposite side releases. This automatically activates the transmitter.

Such a technologically advanced wristwatch comes with unusual power demands that Breitling answered through a revolutionary rechargeable battery 1,000 times more powerful than the cells usually employed in a timepiece. In order to meet both the power and size demands, Breitling developed a new battery in collaboration with one of the cutting-edge institutes in this field.

The Emergency is not only a personal survival instrument. It is also an electronic chronograph featuring all the functions useful to professionals and adventurers: 12/24-hour analog and digital display, 1/100th second chronograph, alarm, timer, second time zone, multi-lingual calendar and battery end-of-life indication. It is equipped with a thermo-compensated SuperQuartz™ movement, ten times more accurate than standard quartz and chronometer-certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute) – the highest industry benchmark in terms of precision and reliability. The “watch” and “transmitter” parts have been designed as two distinct elements, totally independent in terms of both operation and energy source and thus ensuring enhanced security.

The Breitling Emergency will be available for purchase at Breitling Boutiques in New York, Orlando, Las Vegas and Miami as well as authorized retailers throughout the U.S. To find an authorized retailer near you, please visit Breitling.com.